Grueling week of advanced police training wraps up

Teaching, testing and training for Regional Police officers came to a close Friday. It was a week of grueling sessions covering a variety of topics to keep citizens as well as police safe.

Defensive tactics, maneuvers, and life saving techniques rounded out the week. Officers received advanced active shooter training, felony stops, low light searches, school safety and even CPR.

Unusual techniques, like ways to use a flashlight,  were taught throughout the week.

Some officers even had a favorite training session.

‘I would say the building searches we did out at Sawyer would be the most helpful thing that I’ve seen so far,” nineteen-year veteran police officer Jon Aho said.

‘It’s good for the officers to come back, it gets the cobwebs out, it keeps them current, fresh. Some of the techniques they may not use on a daily basis so this is a good  opportunity for them to come out and get those techniques down,” Corporal with the NMU Public Safety Police Department Guy Laplante said.

“I Hope the officers take something away from every topic  that helps them become better officers, better at their jobs and especially safety.  We really concentrate on officer safety in every topic so I think officer safety is the most important thing they should take away from the week,” Regional Police Academy Training Coordinator Kenneth Love.

Added into the training mix were dispatchers.  Although not on the scene they are responsible for assisting officers and calling in the necessary back such as fire, Search and Rescue or even S.W.A.T, if needed.

“We are their ears, they are the eyes, if we know what they are doing , how their formations are working, how they are going to clear a school,  then that makes it easier for us,” Marquette County Central Dispatcher Kristie Buruse said.

The use of air soft pellet guns and Go-Pro Cameras aided in the believability of the simulated scenarios and the ability to review, critique and improve their techniques.